USA > Maine > Knox County > Camden > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 19
USA > Maine > Knox County > Rockport > History of Camden and Rockport, Maine > Part 19
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man removed to Matinic in his latter days, where he died.
1830. At the opening of another decade Camden's population had reached 2200. The annual town meeting was held April 5, at which the following officers were elected : Joseph Hall, Town Clerk; Nathaniel Dillingham, Stephen Barrows and Warren Rawson, Selectmen; Jacob Patch, Treasurer. At this time the fee for a license as a retailer of "Wine, Brandy, Rum and other Spirituous Liquors," was $3.00 and five persons having paid the fee were this year thus licensed. Later in the year three others were also licensed by paying a fee of $2.25 each.
There was again this year a hard fight for the office of Gov- ernor between Jona. G. Hunton and Samuel E. Smith, the Dem- ocrats this time being victorious, electing Mr. Smith by a small majority. Camden's vote stood as follows : Smith, 193 ; Hunton, 137. Jacob Trafton was again elected Representive, having 172 votes to 144 for Edward Hanford. 1
1831. Annual meeting, April 4. Town Clerk, Edward Hanford ; Selectmen, Stephen Barrows, Warren Rawson and Robert Harkness ; Treasurer, Jacob Patch.
This year the Democrats slightly increased their majority in the gubernatorial election. The vote in Camden stood as follows : Samuel E. Smith, 194; Daniel Goodnow, 108. Jonathan Thayer of Camden was one of the Senators elected. Camden this year had two of the four candidates for Senators, the other one being Benjamin Cushing, and E. K. Smart, a future citizen of the town, was another candidate for the same office. Nathaniel C. Estabrook had 193 votes for Representative and was elected, his opponent, Edward Hanford, having 109 votes.
At about this time the 60 ton schooner, Forest, was built at "Youngtown," Lincolnville, and hauled by oxen across Lake Megunticook, and thence through Camden village, and launched in the harbor. As she went through town, to the wondering eyes of our citizens, she loomed up like a "Great Eastern."
This year died two excellent citizens who had come here
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as young men in the early days, viz., Joseph Mirick, who died Feb. 4, at the age of 50 years, and Moses Parker, who died Dec. 24 at the age of 44 years.
Mr. Mirick was the son of Ephraim and Deborah Mirick and was born at Princeton, Mass., March 20, 1780. He married Rachel Dillingham and had five children, viz .: Joseph G., Augus- tus D., Alfred, Lucella and Sarah A. He was a farmer and lived on the place on the Belfast Road, more recently known as the " Dick Martz Place," but afterwards moved to the village, occupying the house on Main street now owned by John E. Codman of Philadel- phia.
Mr. Parker was born at Princeton, Mass., in 1787. He came to Camden and established himself in the tannery business, his tan- nery being the building on the northerly bank of Megunticock river, now owned by Mrs. J. H. Montgomery and known as the "Higgins stable " building. He erected the old brick Parker homestead, now the property of his granddaughter, Mrs. Dudley Talbot, of Boston. Mr. Parker married Mary Barnes of Hanover, Mass., and they were the parents of five daughters, Mary, (who married John H. Curtis) Maria, (who married Wm. Merriam) Angelica, (who married Elisha Gilkey) and Betsey (who married Geo. W. Cobb) and one son, Moses L., who lived and died at the old homestead.
1832. This year there was no change from the year before in the principal town officers elected, except that Timothy Fay was elected third Selectman. The annual meeting was held April 2, and on July 14 another meeting was called to take action in anticipation of a visitation of the cholera that was then raging in the United States, under an article in the warrant, "To Give any Legal Directions and to Devise any proper measures in Relation to the Welfare of our Citizens, and which may Serve as a Check to that Dreadful disorder, the Cholera, now Ravaging this Continent." The following "Committee of Health" was appointed to take measures against the pestilence : Dr. Joseph
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H. Estabrook, Joseph Hall, James Curtis, Dr. Joseph Huse, Frederick Jacobs, John Eager, Wade Sweetland, Ebenezer Thorn- dike and Dr. Benj. J. Porter. The Selectmen were authorized to "borrow two Hundred Dollars If Deemed Necessary, to make provisions for the Sick." Fortunately, the fears of our people were not realized, and no danger resulted from the "destroy- ing pestilence."
Samuel E. Smith and Daniel Goodnow were this year again candidates for Governor, the former again being successful. In Camden, Gov. Smith's vote was 187, while his opponent had 121. For Representative, Nathaniel C. Estabrook was agaln elected, having 187 votes to 117 for Joseph Stetson and 2 for Hosea Bates.
At a meeting held Nov. 5, the town voted "To Build a Town House, 40 by 32 feet, one Story high." It was also voted that the Town House be built between the four Corners and the Western Line of the Bartlett place, now occupied by William Simonton, 2d." This location was on the Simonton's Corner road on the westerly side thereof on the hill near the old Coombs place, now owned by Mr. Geo. W. Ingraham, and was considered near the centre of population of the town. Jacob Trafton, David Tolman, Job Ingraham, Samuel Tolman and John Harkness were chosen a committee to contract for the construction of the build- ing and $600 was the sum appropriated for the same, the building to be finished by Aug. 15 of the following year. It would seem unusual at the present day not to overdraw an appropriation for the erection of a town building, but that was the case in the building of our first town house, for a subsequent report on the town records shows that the whole expense, including superin- tendence of the work, was only $584.35.
This year, on February 3, died the old settler, Job Hodg- man, at the age of 76 years. We have already given an account of Mr. Hodgman as an early settler. His children, so far as we are able to learn, were, Buckley, Lydia, (who married Joel Mans-
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field ) Job Jr., Amos Hale, Thomas and Joel. Joel succeeded his father in the ownership of the old homestead.
1833. Annual meeting April 1. The Selectmen and Treasurer of 1832 were this year re-elected, and Robert Chase was elected Town Clerk.
State election September 9. The old National Republican party this year went out of existence and two new parties appeared in the field, viz .: the Whigs and the Anti-Masons. Robert P. Dunlap was the candidate of the old Democratic party and was elected by over 6000 plurality over Daniel Goodnow, who this year appeared as the candidates of the Whigs, while Thomas A. Hill, the candidate of the anti-Masonic party, received 2,384 votes. This latter party came into existence as the result of the great anti-Masonic excitement, due to rumors concerning the death of Morgan, which was attributed to the Masons in retaliation for exposures of their secret work printed by him. As is always the case in matters of public interest of whatever nature, unprincipled men took advantage of the excitement to impose upon the credulity of the people, for the purpose of getting into office. To such an extent did politicians take advantage of this foolish excitement, that there were anti-Masonic candidates nominated for almost every office, from President and Governor down.
At this election in Camden there seemed to be but little political interest. Mr. Dunlap received 162 votes, Mr. Good- now, 10, and the anti-Masonic candidate, Mr. Hill, 2. For Representative, John Harkness received 93 votes, and Stephen Barrows, 80. Joseph Hall of Camden at this election was chosen Representative to Congress, and received all the votes cast in Camden but two. This election was the first held in the new town house.
At this time there was much dissatisaction ,in the state over the militia law that required men with sons capable of bearing arms, to arm and equip them at his own expense, while men without sons, however wealthy they might be, incurred no
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expense. The people had protested against thus paying for the protection of the rights and property of the rich, and demanded that taxation for this purpose should be in proportion to the wealth of the individual, rather than in proportion to the number of males in his family, and took various ways of expressing their disapproval of the existing state of affairs. This year a military officer living in the western part of the town, issued an order for the soldiers to turn out and train at a certain time and place. In response to the order the company turned out, armed with scythes, sickles, axes, shovels, hoes, and, in short, with almost everything except the arms required by law. In the place of uniforms, they were dressed in the most comical and fantastic costumes. In other respects the company conducted itself with perfect decorum. The officer at first supposed that the burlesque was designed as an insult to him personally, and naturally was inclined to take offense. On being assured to the contrary, he took the proceed- ing in good part and joined in the humorous demonstration with the rest. This was the beginning of military troubles of a similar nature that broke out on different occasions, from time to time, during the following ten years.
On another occasion the colonel of the regiment issued a military order requiring the members of the militia in this section to meet at Camden for the purpose of choosing officers. Agree- ably to the order, our soldiers were punctually on hand, but in- stead of the regulation uniform they were again dressed like fantastics. The meeting, proceeded, however, and officers were elected, but each immediately declined to serve, and so the bal- loting was kept up until dark, when the presiding colonel, feeling that he had done his duty in the matter, dismissed the companies. The soldiers then formed in line and marched from the yellow schoolhouse 3 down into the square, exhibiting a most comical
3. The "Yellow Schoolhouse" was the first school building located on the site of the present Grammar School building on Elm street. It was succeed- ed by another schoolhouse that contained a hall which was the principal hall in town. This building was burned and then the present building was built.
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appearance. Some had codfish on their backs in lieu of knap- sacks ; others were "ornamented with the caudal appendages of divers animals; one impersonated Hudibras, another represented an old Continental, and thus they were apparalled in the most ridiculous modes that could be suggested." One of the soldiers acting as colonel, was mounted on an old blind jade, accompanied by his aids, one of whom carried a bundle of hay in front of the colonel's horse, with the motto, "Come along," printed on can- vas. This brilliant procession marched through the principal streets of the village, after which the companies disbanded with- out having chosen anyone for commissioned officers.
1834 At the annual town meeting held this year on March 17, Robert Chase was elected Town Clerk; Jacob Patch, Treasurer ; and Robert Harkness, Joseph Carter and William, Simonton, Jr., Selectmen.
The same parties were in the field at the state elec- tion this year, and Gov. Dunlap was re-elected, his oppon- ents being Peleg Sprague, Whig, and Thomas A. Hill, Anti-Mason. In Camden, Gov. Dunlap received 230 votes, · Sprague, 186, and Hill, 3. Dr. Joseph H. Estabrook of Camden, was the Whig candidate for Senator, but was not elected. John Harkness was elected Representative, having 208 votes to 185 for Joseph Stetson and 21 for John Achorn. Joseph Hall was again elected to Congress. At a town meeting held Nov. 8, the town voted on a proposition to amend the state constitution rela- tive to voting in wards. Prior to this time, all the voters of the cities assembled in one room to vote, which was found to be inconvenient, hence it was proposed that the voting should be done in the several wards. The vote in this town was nine in favor and none against the proposed amendment.
In 1834, Frederick Jacobs died. He was the son of Samuel Jacobs and was born in Camden, where he received his education principally under the tutoring of Dr. Jacob Patch, who instructed many young men, who afterwards became prominent and enter-
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prising citizens of the town. Mr. Jacobs started in business in Limerick, but afterwards returned to his native village, where he went into business in company with his brother, Samuel, and Watson Freeman who was afterwards United States Marshal of Massachusetts. They traded in the "Daniels building."
Mr. Jacobs was a man of much natural ability, which was not called into requisition in the business of a village trader in com- paratively uneventful times to the extent possible in the more stirring days of war and national peril. He was a man gifted both mentally and physically and an enterprising merchant. He mar- ried Julia, daughter of Benjamin Cushing, by whom he had six children. He was but 39 years of age at the time of his death. Mr. Jacobs' children were, Benjamin J., Robert J., Frederick, Jr., Eliza (who married a Mr. Jewett) Adeline, (who married a Mr. Ricker) and Delia. None of the Jacobs family have lived in town for many years.
This year on Dec. 10, died that wonderful and venerable man, Robert Thorndike, the first settler of Rockport, at the age of 104 years. Mr. Thorndike married Deborah Wallace of Cape Elizabeth, and to them were born twelve children, viz .: Mary, (who married John McKellar) John, Lucy, (who married Lewis Ogier) Deborah, (who married Capt. Andrew Malcolm) Joanna, (who also married, first, Thos. Gerrish, and second, Sam'l Annis) Mehitable, (who married James Richards, Jr.,) Patience, (who married Wm. Moody ) Robert, Elizabeth, (who married Joseph Hardy) Joseph W., Herbert and James. Mr. Thorndike is the ancestor of a very numerous progeny.
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CHAPTER XXX.
ATTICUS, THE SLAVE.
1835. Stephen Barrows, Town Clerk, Jacob Patch, Treasurer, and Robert Harkness, Robert Chase and Stephen Bar- rows, Selectmen, were the officers elected at the annual town meeting held this year on April 6. The new Town Clerk was an excellent penman and made an exceedingly plain and neat record.
For some time past the town had been investigating the question of the supposed public road and landing at the head of the harbor at Camden village. A committee was appointed who subsequently reported to the town that an examination of the county records showed "that a public road and landing has been reserved (through and on the mill lot at the head of Megunticook harbour so called) in all the Deeds since the year 1785, viz .: In the Deed, Stephen Minot to Joseph Eaton, dated Sept. 3d, 1785, and in the Deed, Joseph Eaton to Wm. McGlathry, dated May 30th, 1792, and in the Deed, Wm. McGlathry to John Pendle- ton, dated July 19th, 1802." The committee recommended that the town " take such measures as the Law provides to Abate any Nuisance, shutting up said road and landing place." This the town proceeded to attempt as shown by the following report of its committee submitted in the spring of 1835 :
" The committee chosen at the last annual meeting for the purposes of laying out a road and landing-place for public uses in Camden and for abating any Nuisance shutting up said road and
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landing-place, beg leave to report that they have attended to that duty, and upon investigation find that George Pendleton has caused a fence to be erected so as to shut up said road and land- ing-place that the public can have no use thereof, and after noti- fying said George Pendleton to take away said fence, it being a . Nuisance, and he refusing so to do, they have caused an indict -- ment to be brought before the Grand Jury, and said Jury have · found a bill against said Pendleton, and the case is to be tried at the next term of the Supreme Judicial Court to be holden at Bel- fast in December next.
All of which is respectfully submitted by
ABRM. OGIER, ROBERT CHASE, Committee
It seems that the Pendletons (who owned what has since been known as the Ocean House property) had claimed and occupied the public road and landing for so long a period that the town never recovered it, and thus through neglect was lost to the town what would today be a valuable public utility.
This year the ever-receding chimera of a steam railroad to Camden first showed itself, and the town voted on July 30 "To choose Hon. Jos. Hall as agent to solicit the U. S. Engineer to survey a route to Camden Harbour for the Canada Railroad." At this time there were strong hopes that the proposed road would make its southern terminus here and some went so far as to pur- chase land that they thought would be likely to be intersected by the road. Like other roads proposed and expected since that day, it did not materialize.
This year Mr. George Galt of Massachusetts built the light- house on Negro Island. It was lighted the following year, with Mr. H. K. M. Bowers installed as keeper. 1
The state went Democratic in the gubernatorial election this
1. The keepers of the Negro Island Light have been as follows: H. K. M. Bowers, to 1841. Ephraim Flye to 1845. Obadiah Brown to 1853. Wm. Prince to 1854. E. M. Carleton, to 1856. Obadiah Brown, to 1857. Adrien M. Annis. Then followed, Simon Barbour, Joshua Bramhall and Fred D. Aldus, the latter resigning in 1883, when Henry Wiley was appointed and served until his death in 1896, since which time the present keeper, Howard M. Gilley, has had charge.
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HISTORY OF CAMDEN AND ROCKPORT
year, and Gov. Dunlap was re-elected by nearly 18,000 majority. The Whig candidate was William King. In Camden, King got but one vote, Dunlap having 131. It took three ballots to elect a Representative. On the third ballot, Robert Chase had 98 votes, Joseph Stetson, 47, Stephen Barrows, 6, and John Achorn, 4.
1836. On April 4, at the annual meeting this year, Stephen Barrows was elected Town Clerk, Robert Harkness, Stephen Barrows and Robert Chase, Selectmen, and Edward Hanford, Treasurer.
Gov. Dunlap was this year again re-elected, his Whig oppo- nent being Edward Kent. In Camden the vote stood, Dunlap, 145 votes, Kent, 87. It took two ballots to elect a Representa- tive, the vote on the second and final ballot being as follows : Robert Chase, 99, Joseph Stetson, 60, Elias Storer, 38.
The "Megunticook Bank" was chartered this year and went into business with a capital of $50,000. William Carleton was chosen President, and Warren Rawson, Cashier. Mr. Rawson dying in 1838, was succeeded by Nathaniel Dillingham, who, in 1845, was succeeded by Hiram Bass. Mr. Carleton died in 1840 and was succeeded as President, by Mr. Joseph Jones. Mr. Jones and Mr. Bass continued in their respective offices until the affairs of the bank were wound up and the charter surrendered in 1847. That year a new charter was obtained, but on account of there being a lack of unanimity among the stockholders as to the expediency of continuing the business, there was never any organ- ization perfected. When the affairs of the bank were wound up, it paid the stockholders 99 1-3 per cent. on the original stock. 1 The office of the bank was in the second story of the brick block belonging to Mr. Jones on Bay View street, being the building now occupied by the J. W. Bowers Company.
1837. Annual meeting, April 10. The same Town Clerk, Treasurer and Selectmen were elected as the year before, except Third Selectman, to which office James Clark was elected.
1. Locke's Sketches, Page 160.
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At this meeting it was voted "To receive our proportion of the money deposited with the state by the United States." This vote was in relation to the distribution of the "surplus revenue " of the United States, the part coming to Maine being ordered distributed among the several towns, in proportion to their respec- tive populations. Subsequently there was much discussion in a series of town meetings in this town relative to the disposition of the share belonging to Camden. The fund was finally divided among the inhabitants, per capita, each receiving two dollars. The town at this time had a large number of paupers to support, about fifty persons receiving aid from the town, one-half of whom were children under ten or twelve years of age. A committee was chosen by the town to inquire into "the propriety of purchas- ing a farm for the poor," who reported to the town at this time. Among other things the report says: "The system of disposing of the poor of all ages and sexes indiscriminately, to the lowest bidder, we fully believe to be well calculated to increase and per- petuate pauperism, ignorance and vice." Accordingly, on May 8, it was voted by the town "That the Selectmen be a committee to purchase the Capt. Wm. Brown farm, and receive a deed of the same, providing it can be purchased for $2,400." This farm was afterwards purchased of John Keen, the owner. This farm is now known as the Lorenzo Brewster farm, it having been sold to Mr. Brewster by the town for $2,100, twenty-one years after its pur- chase. It is located in Rockport a short distance south-westerly of Beech Hill.
At the state election this year the Whigs won the guberna- torial contest, Edward Kent being elected by about 200 majority. The Democratic candidate was Gorham Parks. Camden was still faithful to the Democrats, giving Mr. Parks 194 votes, and Mr. Kent, 187. Dr. Estabrook was again one of the unsuccessful candidates for the senate. Three ballots were taken for a Representative without any choice resulting, and the meeting adjourned for two weeks, when two more ballots
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were taken, the second resulting in the election of Ebenezer Thorndike. Ezra Cobb had persistently led on all the other bal- lots, but Mr. Thorndike made a final rally on the fifth ballot and received 245 votes to 213 for Mr. Cobb.
This year occurred an episode which soon assumed national importance, leading to much controversy between three states for several years. 1 Sometime early in May, Capt. David Philbrook of Camden, was in the harbor of Savannah, Ga., with his schooner, the Susan, of which Edward Kelleran of Cushing, was mate. Repairs were being made upon the vessel, and one of the laborers was a slave, 22 years of age, by the name of Atticus, owned by James and Henry Sagurs of Chatham County, Ga. After the repairs were completed and the schooner about to sail for Maine, Atticus, having doubtless heard of the free land beneath the North Star, and being anxious to reach it, concealed himself in the ves- sel's hold, without the knowledge of the officers and crew, so far as is known. The schooner sailed on May 4, and after being several days at sea, the presence of Atticus on board was discov- ered. After the arrival of the vessel at its home port, no restraint was put upon Atticus and he remained working for a time for Mr. Kelleran. In the meantime, the slave's owners, thinking that he might have escaped in the Susan, followed in a pilot boat, hoping to overtake the schooner at sea, but failing to do so, continued on to East Thomaston, where they swore out a warrant for the appre- hension of their human chattel. Considerable delay followed, but at last after a reward of $20 was offered for his apprehension, Atticus was caught and delivered to his master. When he embarked at East Thomaston, the people who witnessed the scene strongly expressed their sympathy and indignation, but Atticus was safely placed on board the pilot boat and taken back to Savannah. This,
1. See Eaton's History of Thomaston, Rockland and South Thomaston, Vol. I, Page 385; also a paper read before the Maine Historical Society in November, 1905, by Rev. H. S. Burrage, D. D. Some of Dr. Burrage's facts concerning Attieus were obtained from a grandson of Capt. Philbrook who was in Savannah a few years ago.
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however, was not the end of the case, for James Sagurs, having returned from Thomaston, went before a magistrate of Chatham County, on June 16, and swore out a warrant against Philbrook and Kelleran, charging them with "feloniously inveigling, stealing, taking and carrying away without the limits of the state of Georgia, on or about May 4, 1837, a Negro man slave named Atticus." Philbrook and Kelleran were in Maine, and of course, could not be found and it was not expected that they could be arrested. The next step in the proceedings was for Gov. Schley of Georgia to write to Gov. Dunlap of Maine, stating that Philbrook and Kelleran were "fugitives from justice " enclosing an affidavit from James Sagurs, and saying that he had appointed an agent on the part of Georgia, according to law, to receive the "fugitives" and convey them to Georgia to be tried. Gov. Dunlap, in Au- gust, acknowledged the receipt of the communication, but declined to accede to the demand contained therein, and stated his rea- sons for so refusing. Gov. Schley replied, with additional argu- ments, but no action was taken by the Maine authorities, and in December the Georgia Governor laid the correspondence in the case before the Legislature of that state, and the committee to which the matter was referred, reported, among other things, that "evidently the constituted authorities of Maine do not mean to comply with the laws and constitution of the country," and recommended that an indictment be found against Philbrook and Kelleran, after which the Governor of Georgia should make another demand for the persons of the alleged "fugitives." The indictment was found and Gov. Gilmer wrote to Gov. Kent, re-opening the case. Gov. Kent also refused to accede to the demand of the Georgia authorities, but at the request of Gov. Gilmer, laid the resolutions of the Georgia Legislature before the Legislature of Maine, which, however, took no action. In his annual message the Governor of Georgia called the attention of the Legislature to the case and said, "This state must protect by its own authority the rights of its citizens in slave property against
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